On August 23, the 22 meter long fishing vessel Rose Marie caught fire near Chatham, Massachusetts. The fire could not be contained by the crew and they sent out a distress call. Nearby fishing vessels responded as well as the 270 foot Coast Guard cutter Legare and aircraft from Cape Cod. Before rescuers could reach the Rose Marie, the crew abandoned ship into a life raft as the super structure became engulfed in flames. All four crew of the Rose Marie were later rescued by nearby fishing vessels.
Reports state the fire eventually burned itself out and a commercial tug took the Rose Marie under tow back to port in New Bedford. The Coast Guard has launched an investigation into the incident.
The 40 meter long fishing vessel Svyatov Spiridon caught fire while berthed in Båtsfjord, Norway. The fire started around midnight and quickly grew in intensity. The 17 crew on board were evacuated off the vessel and local fire brigades were called to the scene. Fire fighters spent over 10 hours to contain the blaze. No details to the source of the fire or what extent of damage the fire had on the trawler. No reports of injuries. Local authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
On August 13, the 60 foot long fishing vessel Sebastian Sails caught fire while berthed at Twillingate, Newfoundland, Canada. Witnesses spotted smoke rising from the wheelhouse and alerted authorities. Before authorities could respond, the blaze had spread through out the vessel. Explosions and dense black smoke rose from the hull. Nearby fishing vessels were moved safely away from the Sebastian Sails. The fire continued to spread and reached the wharf itself. To reach the burning wharf timbers, fire fighters had to break through concrete and asphalt to reach the flames. After hours of hard work firefighters eventually got the fire under control, but the Sebastian Sails sustained heavy damage.
The superstructure of the fishing vessel had been badly gutted and the vessel later sank at the pier. Authorities state over 50 feet of wharf had been burnt by the fire. No reports of injuries. Booms were placed around the Sebastian Sails to contain any pollution released. Several reports state the Sebastian Sails may be a total loss. The vessel featured on the Canadian Discovery Channel’s TV program Cold Water Cowboys for four seasons.
